Card-delivery mechanism



2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 June 18, 1929. A. THOMAS CARD DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 17, l

June 18, 1929. A THOMAS CARD DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 17, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNITED? STATES ARTHUR THOMAS, OF THORNTON HEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ACCOUNTING & TABULATING CORPOBATION OF'GREAT BRITAIN, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENG- CARD-DELIVERY MECHANISM.

. Application filed October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,760.

The invention relates to card-delivery mechanism and is particularly applicable, through not restricted, to the delivery mechanisms of statistical, calculating and like machines, in which perforated cards are used.

Such machines may deliver three or four hundred cards aminute and the receptacle into which they are delivered thus rapidly becomes filled; at. such high speeds, apart 0 from the close attention required, difiiculty is experienced by the operator'in clearing the receptacle without interfering with the con- I tinuous action of the machine. The present invention seeks to overcome such difliculties by the provision of a plurality of card receptacles associated with appropriate changeover mechanism. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of the invention Figure 1 shows a general view of the de livery mechanism and card receptacles;

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 22 of Figure 1 showing the change-over mechanism,.while Figures 3, 4: and 5 show diiferent positions of such mechanism. a

According to the form shown, the main motion shaft, A, of the machine such as a calculating machine from which the cards are delivered drives the feed rolls, B,B, continuously and also the rolls, C, C, which by their rotation tend to press a card, D, against the stop, F, such a card being shown in the sens ing pin-box forming a feature of certain cal- 5 culating machines. By means of the eccentric, G, and the eccentric rod, H,.the pinbox and-stop, F, are reciprocated up and down in a vertical direction. A pin, J, forming part of the reciprocating system oscil- 4 lates a lever, K, about the fixed centre L this lever serving to operate the change-over mechanism in a manner to be described. The cards are delivered into one or other I of two receptacles, M, N, as required, a fixed that if the cards pass over the box, M, they will be turned down into the box, N. ,The box, M, however, is rovided with a movably-mounted diverter, ill, such that when in .the down position shown in Figure 1 cards will pass over it to be deflected bythe diverter, N, into the box, N, whereas in 'the'up position shown in Figure a, the cards will strike against it and be delivered into the box, M.

The boxes may be of any approved construction and contain trays such as M N pressed upwardly by the springs, M N, to takethe Weight of the cards. I

The changeover mechanism itself is designed so that into whichever box the cards are being delivered, operation of the changeover mechanism diverts them into the other box, this operation in addition beingso timed as not to interfere with the delivery of'the cards from the machine. I 1 1 Accordingto one form of this change-over mechanism a disc, 2, mounted on the spin.- dle, 3, is rotatable and slidable axially on the bracket, 1, fixed to any convenient part of the frame of the machine. This bracket on one side has six equally-spaced pins, 2 at a certain radius from the centre of the disc,

' while on the other side are arranged three equally-spaced pins, 2*, at thelsame radius as the pins, 2*, and co-ax-ial with three of such p1ns.- a 1 1 The pins, 2 areengaged as hereinafter described by the pawl lever, 5, pivoted on the end of the lever, K, and brought into the extreme position in reference thereto by the spring, 6, as shown in- Figure 4. A catch, 7,

down by the spring, ,9, serves as a detent to prevent rotation of the disc ins-a rearward direction. I

The-pins, W, on the other hand co-operate with a lever, 10, pivotally mounted to turn about the centre, 11, and in rigid relation to the diverter, M, the lever being cut away in the region, 12, to form a shoulder or'the like with which the pins, 2", can engage under the influence of the spring, 13. The disc spindle, 3, carries an operating knob formed of two parts, 14 and 14B, screwed together, the knob as a whole being slidable on the spindle, 3, and pressed outwardly by the spring, 15, acting between it and-the frame. The

pivoted to the bracket, 1,- at 8, and pulled knob is nade hollow and, presses against the v s of the disc, under the latter the pressure of.

flange 16, on the spindle, 3, a prolongation of which, 3, passes through the part, 14*, of the knob and serves as a guide therefor, a

second spring, 17, keeping the knob pressed ever, into or towards the position shownin Figure 1, so that the lever, 5, is carried clear the spring, 17, will move inwards to its fullest extent, the next downward movement of the lever, K, causing the pawl lever, 5, to engage with-a pin, 2' and thusmove the disc through 60 'inthe direction shown by the arrow.

If the diverter, M, is in the position shown in Figure 5, movement of the disc through 60 will .cause it to assume the position shown in Figure 4 With" the lever, 10, forced to the left and the diverter,-M, raised. Alternativel-y, if the .diverter is in the position shown in Figure 4, rotation ofthe disc through 60 will bring it into the position shown in Figure5 with the diverter down.

Overrunning ofthe disc is prevented by the co-action of the appropriate pin, 2 with V tent, 7, with a pin,-2

the lever, 10, while backward motion of the discis prevented by theco-act-ion of'the de Owing to the shape of the hookedend, 5 of the pawllever, 5, the disc can only be turned through 60? for any one operation of the kn'ob,-foras shown in Figure 5, with the left-hand end of the lever, K, inits uppermostposition, this hooked end cannot pass over the neighbouring pin, 2}, to

l engage therewith for another stroke, such engagement only being-possible when on releaseof the knob the disc is returned to its non operative position by the actionof the spring, 1-5; The pawl lever, 5, then assumes the position relative to the lever K, shown in Figure 1 and is ready to engage a pin, 2,

on the next'oper'ation of the knob.

No matter, therefore, which receptacle is receiving the cards at a given movement, precisely the same manual operation diverts them into the other receptacle and in addition so times the setting of the diverter as not to interfere with the continuous delivery of thecards. Although a particular mechanism has been described in detail by way of example, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other mechanisms can be employed to per- 7 form the same functionsand I therefore desire the appendant claims to be read as broadly as the law allows.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination in a carddelivery' mechanism of the kind indicated, means for dehvermg a series of cards;"a palr o't card receptacles; means for changing delivery,

from either receptacle to the other; and a means movable from the same initial position to the same final position to actuate said delivery-changing means in either direction.

2. In combination a ,card' del-ivelfy mechanism of the kindindicated, means for delivering a series of cards; a pair of-card receptacles; means for changing delivery from either receptacle to the other, said means including a divertermovable between two eX- treme positions; and means movable from the same initial position to the same final -position to move said diverter alternatelyin opposite directions between the said extreme positions" thereof." I

3. In combination in. 'afcard-delive'ry mechanism of the kind'indicated, .means'for intermittently delivering a series of cards;

a pairof card receptacles, a card diverter movable between two extreme operatlve positions to change delivery from either receptacle to the-other; means for operating said diverter in timed'relation to said intermittently-de'livering means, saiddiverter-operating means including'a' timed member'hav- 1ng an alternating movement; means" for bringing said diverter-operating'means into action; and means for preventingmore than one movement-of said diverter between its eX- treme operative positions notwithstanding'a plurality of alternating movementslof'said timed member.

45. In combination mechanismof the kind intermittently delivering a seriesiof'cards; a

in" a card-delivery indicated, means for pair of card receptacles; a diverter for changing delivery from either receptacle to the other; a member'having an alternating movement in timed relationwith said intermittently-delivering means; a movable 1didiverter actuator intoand ontof engagement (with saidmember having 'an alternating movement. A l

' 5. Th e combination of parts claimed in claim 4:, 'iniwhich the diverterIactuator takes the form of an axially-movable disc carrying two series of pins, of which the pins in one series actuate said diverter and the pins in" verter actuator rand means for movingsaid said other series are engaged by saidmem-p I her having an alternating movement.

6.'The combination of parts claimedclaim 4:, in which the diverter actuator takes the form of an axially-movable disccarr'ying aseries of equally spaoed pins, while the member havlng an f alternating movement consists in a pivoted pawl lever engageable with a pin of said serie'sto perform an opera tive stroke in one directionbut shaped to pre.

vent engagement with an adjacent pin on the return stroke.

7. In combination in a card delivery mechanism of the kind indicated, means for successively delivering a series of cards; a pair of card receptacles; means for changing delivery from one receptacle to another in timed relation to the delivery of said cards;

and an instrumentality for bringing said delivery-changing means into operation in such 10 timed relation independently of the moment of operation of said instrumentality.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR THOMAS. 

